The aim of the study is to evaluate the patency and the flow characteristics of the left internal mammarian artery that is used as a coronary artery bypass graft.

Methods:

Twenty nine cases, who had internal mammarian artery and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were evaluated by color Doppler sonography examination in the pre-operative, early post-operative (7-10th day) and in the late postoperative (3rd month) periods. The peak systolic, end-diastolic and mean velocities, the resistive and pulsatility indices, the diameter, the mean flow volume, and the flow pattern of the artery in each period were recorded.

Results:

The optimum evaluation of the graft was possible in 70 of the 78 (89.6%) examinations. The triphasic form of flow in the left internal mammarian artery in the pre-operative period was changed into biphasic (systolo-diastolic) form, just beginning from the early post-operative period. The peak systolic velocity, resistive index and pulsatility index decreased where the end-diastolic and mean velocities increased (in the post-operative periods).

Conclusion:

Together with the clinical and electrocardiographic support, color Doppler sonography is a valuable and non-invasive tool for the evaluation of the patency and early detection of dysfunction in the follow-up of the internal mammarian artery grafts.